South Korea Ferry: Sunken Ship Was Overloaded, Prosecutors Allege

The Sewol was loaded with more than 3,600 tons of cargo when it left port, according to politician Kim Young-roc. Kim cited prosecutors for the figure, which is more than three times its recommended weight in cargo and more than double the weight of the ship itself.

Prosecutors also said they are investigating whether the ship's operator, Chonghaejin Marine Co. Ltd., bribed government inspectors to give the vessel a clean safety certificate. The firm has not publicly commented on the allegations.

The ship's captain and 10 other crew members have been arrested or detained after it emerged it took 30 minutes to issue the evacuation order. The arrest document of captain Lee Joon-seok, 69, accuses him of negligence and said he performed an "excessive change of course without slowing down."